Red
by planet p
Summary: Story Repost! AU, Michelle works for the Center as a lab tech. Jacob/Michelle


**Red** by planet p

**Disclaimer** I don't own _the Pretender_ or any of its characters. I don't own the song _The Birds and the Bees_.

**Author's Notes** AU! Story Repost! Written in 2006. Originally Chapter Six of _Yesterday, when we were young_ entitled _Fly_.

Another non-canon pairing.

This story originally started life as Margaret/Jacob, but I found myself less inclined to the pairing as I'd first anticipated, and it changed from there into a pairing I am now quite fond of.

* * *

Margaret stood frozen in place as the radio blared inconsequential nothings. The gas liquid chromatographer she was standing before gave a sharp beep, a little green light flashing on and off. It had completed its reading, had finished identifying and separating out the components of the substance she had been set to analyse.

* * *

"Margaret?"

Margaret half-blinked, a tiny frown creasing her forehead. Achingly slowly, like some strange ballerina in a tinkling music box, she began to turn toward the voice, her head still full of Charlie's shouts.

She shuddered finally at the memory of the back door slamming loudly and the sound of a car revving and finally driving off.

Charles had left again. He said he didn't understand why she had to be like this. She didn't understand what he meant by 'this'. But that was supposed to be her fault.

She had stood by the back door and watched as the sun slowly rose, as morning gave way to afternoon, tears slowly drying on her cheeks.

* * *

"Margaret?"

She was pulled rudely back to reality by the insistence of the voice. She blinked several times in quick succession. The radio had been turned off. She frowned.

Jacob gave her a funny look. He nodded to something behind her.

Margaret turned and found that the machine had finished its task. She smiled grimly. "Thank you, Jacob."

Jacob just continued to gaze at her as though he thought she was faking the cure, his dull brown eyes concerned.

"Are you alright, Margaret?"

Margaret's equally brown eyes snapped up from the reading, her hand shaking horribly, and the paper with it. She made a show of frowning pointedly. "Yes. Why would I not be? Such an odd question, Jacob."

Jacob shrugged as if to indicate her current condition, exasperation written all over his face.

Margaret simply dismissed his concern with a half eye roll, her attempt at a sigh coming out more like a huff. She turned back to the work bench and scribbled some notes upon the sheet she had just been examining. "Just a little tired, Jacob. Nothing to concern yourself over, surely?"

Jacob smiled grimly, reproving.

Margaret wasn't having any of it. "Look, Jacob, I have things to be doing right now, so couldn't we just… cut out this foolishness and get back to our respective jobs? Hmmm?"

Jacob huffed, crossing his arms stubbornly.

Margaret nodded towards the door. "Tell her I'm fine."

Jacob glared down at his shoes, in a grump.

"I am fine," Margaret reassured him in the kindest voice she could muster, quickly losing her patience.

Jacob blinked slowly, his eyes traveling sluggishly up from the floor. He slouched. "Would you like me to turn the radio back on?"

Margaret, who had been expecting more of a fight, shut her mouth, allowing herself time to think. She sighed. "Yes, Jacob, that would be appreciated."

Jacob grumbled, nodding to himself. "Fine," he huffed, striding across the room in the direction of the radio.

Margaret caught his arm, causing him to shudder. She held his gaze as he turned back to her. "I didn't know you were concerned?"

Jacob blinked, momentarily breaking eye contact.

Margaret held her hand up to silence him, giving him time to consider his response.

"I simply thought you may be unwell, and you know how Catherine works herself up over such things?" Jacob nodded to himself and continued, a little of his usual confidence coming through now. "The girl has a marvelous tendency to worry herself unnecessarily."

Margaret nodded agreeably, understanding shining from her eyes.

At this, he looked away from her. He spoke to the floor instead. "And… I worry… sometimes…" he explained in a delicate voice as though afraid his intentions may somehow be misconstrued.

Margaret shot him a tiny smile. "Jacob, it is good that you worry. There's no need to be ashamed of it. It's a normal human emotion." She grinned now, tossing her chin to clear the hair from her eyes. "Just ask your brother."

Jacob winced at the mention of his twin.

Margaret chuckled softly. "Quit being such a worry pot. Sydney's old enough to know that just because you're worried for someone out of genuine human feeling, it doesn't mean you're going to up and abandon him at the first chance you get."

She gave his shoulder a playful little shove. Jacob stumbled back and came up against the bench, shooting Margaret a disturbed look.

Margaret began to frown, but he was already at the door. She opened her mouth to call him back, in mind of apologising, still unsure as to what she would be apologising for exactly yet, when he slipped out into the hall. The sound of his hurried footsteps faded away.

Margaret was left wondering what she had done wrong.

* * *

Jacob tossed restlessly before finally waking. It was early. It always was. A quick check of his watch – the illuminated hands glowing gloomily – told him it was roughly four am.

The blankets had slipped from the bed and lay in a heap on the floor. Jacob made no move to retrieve them. Instead, he turned to regard his little brother.

Sydney appeared fast asleep. For a moment perhaps, a fraction of a second, Jacob wondered what he was dreaming of, and wished he could be that serene.

Scolding himself mentally, he banished the thought. His eyes flicked to the darkened ceiling as he crossed his arms and prepared himself for the long wait until morning.

Some time later he began to shiver. He told himself he deserved it. So he simply shut his eyes and tried not to think on the subject of his nightmares.

* * *

Michelle yawned and turned away from the monitor. Catherine suddenly began to laugh, completely out of the blue. Michelle sometimes thought the older woman scared her.

Margaret shook her head, looking up from the report she was reading, legs crossed daintily the way she always crossed them.

Catherine bit her lip and spun to her friend, her thick brunette hair swinging madly and coming to rest like a curtain across her pale face.

"He was!" Margaret replied reprovingly.

Michelle realised then that she must have zoned out mid conversation. She frowned, trying to remember who 'he' was.

Catherine shook her head childishly, frantically. "Oh, Maggie, such dramatics!"

Michelle took a deep breath.

"'And I worry sometimes'! I swear to God, that's what he said!"

Catherine broke out in giggles, placing a hand over her mouth as though some small attempt to stem the laughter. "Say I believe you, Mag-a-bee? What then? Your hypothesis being?"

Margaret frowned, pouting. She looked to the ceiling and shook her head slightly. "Who says I necessarily have to have a hypothesis?"

Michelle fought hard not to plaster her hands over her ears as Catherine's giggles gave way to wild ecstatic laughter.

Margaret caught Michelle's disapproving expression and grinned. "I am merely stating the possibility, that… perhaps… Jacob… has a teensy weensy crush on you."

Michelle snorted before she could stop herself.

Margaret raised her eyebrows enquiringly. "Michelle, sweetie, you have something to add?"

Michelle winced. She had done it again, stuck her foot in it. She shook her head, spiky ginger red hair jutting into the side of her face. "No…?"

Margaret sighed, placing the paper down along with her red pen. "You've found me out. I surrender. Perhaps it is a tad wishful thinking on my part."

Catherine shook her head. "I think it's sweet."

Margaret smiled grimly. "Of course you do, sweetie."

Catherine frowned.

Margaret shifted her gaze to her hands. She began fidgeting with her wedding ring, twisting it once, and then twice, and a third time, for good measure. "Oh, come on, even you can't pretend…" she fell short at the look Catherine was giving her.

Catherine stood with her hands on her hips.

Margaret sighed, signing the back page of her amended report, before holding out her arm and passing it to Michelle. "Here you go, sweetie, all done."

* * *

Michelle turned the corner, chewing her nails. She stopped abruptly before Jacob's office, stowing her shaking hands behind her back before she remembered she needed them to knock.

Stealing a quick breath, she knocked hurriedly, before once again stowing her hands safely behind her back.

Jacob appeared at the door moments later. "Yes?"

Michelle realised she must have been staring and snapped to. "Erm… Can I c-come in?"

Jacob nodded, frowning, and stepped out of the doorway so she could enter. "Certainly."

Michelle took a cursory glance around the office. It was very plain, very tidy. "I, um…"

Jacob leant across to shut the door and turned back to the young woman. Michelle blinked. "Yes?"

"Uh… I…" She began rummaging in her satchel for the reports, hurriedly shoving them into his hands.

"Thank you." Jacob smiled kindly and shook his head. "I was wondering… would you like a coffee, perhaps?"

Michelle looked up from her feet suddenly. "N-no th-thank you."

Jacob sighed and placed the papers down on his desk. "Well, um, perhaps you could… accompany me… for a coffee?"

Michelle blinked. "Oh. O-okay." She smiled shyly, stomping on her foot by way of scolding herself.

Jacob smiled properly now, striding around his desk and taking the door knob. "Splendid."

* * *

Michelle hummed to herself absently as she walked. "Let me tell you 'bout the birds and the bees, and the flowers and the trees, and the moon up above and a thing called love."

Jacob was flicking through one of the books from his office and didn't appear to hear what Michelle was singing, which was just as well, as Michelle blushed horribly when she realised it herself. She really had to get out of that habit.

"You know what?" Michelle asked, pausing and turning to Jacob.

Jacob nodded distractedly. "Yes?"

"Maybe I could do with a teensy coffee?"

Jacob smiled slightly, marking the page with his finger and flicking to a chapter further on. "That's great."

Michelle frowned, a little more than put out. "Yeah…"

* * *

Michelle looked up at the sound of someone squealing. Catherine came dashing over. Michelle held a hand to her lips, sipping her tepid coffee carefully.

Catherine frowned, shaking her head slightly.

"Jacob's reading," Michelle elaborated in barely more than a whisper.

Catherine smirked, scrunching up her nose.

Margaret, who had come strolling into the dining hall with Catherine, shook her head, a tiny smile gracing her lips.

"BOO!" Catherine screamed from behind Jacob, placing her hands on his shoulders to steady herself, and burst into raucous laughter.

Jacob started and dropped his book in shock.

Michelle scowled and scrambled to her feet in order to retrieve Jacob's book for him.

Margaret scanned the table hopefully. She huffed and stomped off up to the canteen to get herself a coffee.

Michelle knelt down on her knees and picked the book up off the floor, holding it out for Jacob to take. "I got you your book," she said in a polite voice.

Jacob looked around at her. "Oh, thank you."

Michelle smiled, getting to her feet now. She passed him the book. "That's okay."

Margaret came back a few minutes later with two coffees and handed one to Catherine. "Tah."

Jacob glared down at his book uncomfortably.

* * *

Margaret rubbed her eyes, shaking her head. Michelle kept her eyes determinately on her work. Margaret was arguing with William again. Catherine was away running some scenarios in one of the simulation labs.

Margaret smacked William across the back off the head reprovingly. "His name is Charles, dimwit!" William snorted before chucking the report down and walking off out of the lab. "Shit!" Margaret spun around and kicked the bench painfully.

Michelle looked up from her work now, concerned. "Margaret?"

Margaret smiled kindly. "I'm fine sweetie."

Michelle dropped her eyes to her work, unconvinced.

* * *

Catherine stood leant against the hall wall, absently twisting a stand of her dark brown hair about her finger. Jacob was talking with her animatedly.

Michelle frowned, pausing.

Catherine gave Jacob a playful shove, pretending to be outraged by something he had said. She tossed her head, laughing. Her eyes landed on Michelle and she smiled.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, honey, were you looking for me?"

Michelle shook her head in response. "No. I, um, Margaret asked me to give these," she quickly held out some papers for Jacob to take, "to Jacob."

Catherine scrunched up her nose. She turned to Jacob with a curious little smirk and patted his nose adoringly. "Jacob, honey, what do you say?"

Jacob rolled his eyes, starting forward as though to grab the brunette.

Catherine squealed and jumped back, wagging her finger at him.

He rolled his eyes. Straightening up, he turned to the young lab-tech and smiled politely. "Thank you, but I am afraid I cannot help you," he replied with an accent Michelle could only assume was French.

Michelle shook her head, confused, looking to Catherine.

Catherine shot Jacob a sweet look. "Sydney is Jacob's brother," she replied, narrowing her eyes at Sydney. "They're twins."

Michelle jumped back, blushing. She glared down at her shoes. "I'm so sorry, S-sir."

Sydney shook his head at Catherine's look and focused his attention on Michelle. "That's quite alright. Catherine's forever mistaking the two of us."

Catherine screamed, her eyes widening as though she were mad. "You! Bloody-!"

Sydney ran and hid behind Michelle. Michelle froze, frightened.

Catherine slouched. "Oh, honey, I'm sorry if I upset you."

Michelle shook her head slightly, half petrified. "You didn't."

The older woman tilted her head toward her shoulder. "I'm glad."

Sydney coughed suddenly, causing Michelle to jump and spin around. "Your papers, Miss."

Michelle blinked slowly. She could have sworn this man was Jacob.

Sydney shot Catherine a cute look over Michelle's shoulder, scrunching up his nose.

"Miss?"

Michelle snapped out of her trance. She took the papers and hurried off without a second glance, her blushing almost chronic now.

* * *

William stopped in the middle of the hall, frowning reprovingly. "Oi! Cats!"

Catherine spun on her heel, her pretty hair following suit in a breathtaking fashion. She strutted up to William and raised her chin. "You enquired?"

William rolled his blue eyes at her formality. "You met this flyboy, right?"

Catherine frowned, nodding slowly. "Right."

William looked away from the brunette and snapped the elastic band around his wrist absently. He winced. "Ouuu!"

Catherine bit her lip hard, trying not to laugh.

"What's 'e like then?"

Catherine stopped biting her lip and tossed her chin again. "Who wants to know?"

William huffed. "I do."

Catherine looked about to reply when she changed her mind. "He's nice. Yeah, nice. Real nice."

William snapped his elastic band again. "Right."

Catherine took his hand. "Don't make me confiscate Doris!"

William pulled away from her. "Rene," he corrected, and strode off.

Catherine stuck her tongue out. "Doris!"

* * *

Catherine pushed the door to the lab wide and strutted in. "Willy boy asked about your flyboy," she informed her friend plainly.

Margaret cursed under her breath. "Shit!" She placed the jar of agar powder down for a moment and turned away from the bench, tucking a large strand of hair behind her left ear. "What about my husband?"

Catherine shrugged, deliberately vague. "Nothing spec', just asked what 'e was like."

Margaret scowled. "And you told him… what?"

Catherine plonked herself down on her stool and spun around, stopping when she was facing her friend. She pouted innocently. "Nice. I told him Charles was nice."

"Charlie _is_ nice!"

Catherine nodded. "Mmm. That's what I told him, innit?"

Margaret scowled and returned to mixing her agar. "Stuff him!"

Catherine smiled slightly.

* * *

Michelle paused to glance down at her watch before she turned the corner. She froze at the sound of raised voices ahead.

"I'm worried."

"Why should you care?" A voice she recognised as Margaret's scowled, the woman crossing her arms tight across her chest. She didn't meet his eyes as she waited for his response.

William sighed. "Look, Meg, let's not talk about this now."

Margaret shook her head. "I can't believe I'm listening to this crap!"

William took her hands and pushed her up against the wall, ignoring her struggling altogether.

"Get! Off! Me!" Margaret growled.

William smiled slightly, holding her gaze. "I miss you." He leant in to whisper in her ear.

Michelle held her breath, her heart beating a little too fast. A sudden sound behind her caused her to startle and back away from the corner at an incredible speed.

Jacob frowned, apologetic.

Michelle relaxed upon seeing that is was only Jacob. Realising his intentions, she caught his arm just in time. She pushed him up against the wall, and held a hand fast across his mouth. "Shhh." Jacob nodded, suitably alarmed to follow her instruction. Michelle let her breath out and took her hand away from his mouth. A moment later, she returned her attention to the conversation at hand.

Margaret had finally managed to free her hands. She pushed William away with such force he stumbled back. Storming off without a second glance, she hurriedly straightened her clothes.

William smiled to himself, tutting under his breath.

* * *

Michelle's heart skipped a beat. Dropping to the floor, she quickly took up her papers and scattered them across the floor in a manner that would assume she had dropped them by accident.

Jacob stood pressed to the wall a moment before he caught on and fell down onto his knees to help her gather up her things.

William merely shot them an annoyed look and went on his way.

* * *

Michelle sighed once William was safely out of ear shot.

"What was that all about?" Jacob enquired.

Michelle shrugged, leaning in to take the papers he held out. "I don't know."

Jacob frowned thoughtfully.

Michelle began straightening her papers. "But whatever it was, I don't like it, and I mean to find out exactly what is up."

Jacob nodded in understanding.

Michelle looked up into his face. Without any reason, she felt a hot blush creep up into her face. "Well, thanks again," she blurted, before hurrying off without even offering her hand to help him to his feet.

Jacob simply frowned.

* * *

Michelle turned over in her bed, hot, and switched the lamp on. No matter how many times she hummed 'twinkle, twinkle, little star' or how many times she counted her fingers, she still didn't seem to be able to get to sleep.

Blinking profusely, she reached out a hand for the book laying upon the dresser and clutched it to her chest as she hauled herself up into a sitting position. She squirmed a bit until her blankets and pillows finally fell into a comfortable position and she eased her back against the bed head, flicking to a previously ear-marked page.

* * *

She found herself once again sitting in Jacob's office, waiting whilst he rummaged around for the memo he had been given by William with instructions to pass on to Margaret.

Jacob paused momentarily, looking up from his search. He smiled and nodded towards a porcelain jar sitting beside a frame Michelle could only see the back off.

Michelle frowned, tilting her head ever so slightly.

Jacob took the jar and placed the lid down on his desk before offering the jar to Michelle. Michelle couldn't help a tiny smile when she recognised the contents. Biting her lip carefully, she took a mint. "Thanks."

Jacob shrugged. "That's quite alright."

Michelle sucked on a portion of her mint absently as she observed the progress of Jacob's search.

It was a good ten minutes before the memo was safely clutched in Michelle's hands. She stopped at the door, a hand on the frame. "Thanks again for the mint."

Jacob simply smiled and shushed her on her way.

Michelle smiled and walked off brightly.

* * *

Margaret scanned down the memo at an impossible speed, her steady scowl growing deeper with every line she read. Finally she stood and silently made for the door, making sure to drop the memo in the trash on her way out of the lab.

Catherine appeared intent on her work. Michelle slowly edged toward the bin and snatched up the memo, scooting back to her stool. She took a few moments to briefly peruse the front page but none of it made any sense at all.

"So, what does it say?"

Michelle started at the sudden interruption.

Catherine still hadn't looked up from her work.

"I-I don't know-w," Michelle stuttered, flicking over to the next page and finding more of the same garble.

Catherine finally abandoned her experiment and strode across the room to where Michelle sat perched on her stool. "Tah."

Michelle passed the older brunette the memo and looked back to her shiny black sandals.

Catherine boosted herself up onto the bench and crossed her legs, occasionally flicking her ankle, as she read over the paper, her cool blues scanning across the words in a similar fashion to Margaret's.

She sighed finally, taking in a deep breath and releasing it softly. Carefully leaning across, she passed the memo back to the younger woman who was gazing up at her expectantly. "This is Maggie's field, genetics," she explained. "I'm afraid I wouldn't know where to begin."

Michelle frowned, wondering how that could be, before the pair were interrupted by the sound of Margaret bursting in through the doors, clearly not in a cheery mood.

Catherine slipped from the bench and dashed back to her work top just in time. Michelle, too, leapt from her stool and hid the memo in one of the drawers, kneeling down before one of the cupboards as though looking for some particular instrument that had so far eluded her.

Margaret refrained from speech the rest of the morning, and for once, Catherine did not push her.

* * *

Catherine handed a stack of reports over to Michelle to take to Jacob. Michelle sighed and wondered why she always had to be the courier girl.

Catherine barely had time to pause. She was still wearing her lab coat when she dashed out the door, apparently late for an important meeting.

Michelle watched her go, before she clutched the papers to her chest and left the room.

* * *

Jacob was out when she knocked so she decided to wait by the door, her ankles crossed. After a half dozen people had shot her funny looks for being seated outside in the hall like that, as though she were a naughty girl waiting for the headmaster to finish his phone call before summoning her in to yell at her, she decided that it couldn't hurt to wait inside until Jacob returned, just as long as she didn't touch anything.

She sat down in the chair beside the wall and placed the papers in her lap.

She sighed and looked up from her watch. Time seemed to be taking forever to pass. She absently placed the papers down on the seat beside her own and stood, wondering what Catherine's important meeting could be about.

She didn't mean to touch anything, but she was so very bored, and it wasn't as if she was going to pocket any of it. Trailing her fingers along the walls, she finally reached the desk and bent down to examine the photo frame, her insides squirming with something akin to anticipation.

The photograph was old, with rounded edges and a sepia stain, its surface matte and not glossy as was customary of relative era nowadays. It showed a man and a woman. The woman had her hair done in a pretty bob and wore a dress with a large frilled bib.

Michelle smiled. They must have been Jacob's parents.

She sighed and dumped herself down in Jacob's chair, smiling up at the ceiling. With a little kick of her feet, she pushed the chair out into the centre off the room and spun the chair around, holding her arms out wide as though – if she closed her eyes – she could simply fly away.

Her eyes fell on the porcelain jar as the chair came to a gradual stop and she scampered back to the desk. The porcelain jar glistened beckoningly in the low light. Michelle smiled and nicked herself a mint. She was sure Jacob wouldn't mind. Besides, he would never know if she didn't tell him.

* * *

"Michelle?"

Michelle started at the sound of the latch clicking and dropped her half sticky mint onto her skirt, leaping out of Jacob's chair in shock and apology.

Jacob smiled slightly. "Michelle, it was not my intention to yell at you, I was just surprised to see you here."

Michelle made a hurried dash for the papers and held them out to Jacob. "Catherine told me to give you these."

Jacob nodded kindly and took the papers and placed them down on his desk beside the photo of his parents.

"Have you been waiting very long?"

Michelle held her hands behind her back, staring down at her sandals as though transfixed. "No," she lied, "not very long at all."

Jacob smiled to himself. "Yes, well, I am very sorry for that. It is only that Sydney, my brother, wished to have a word."

Michelle nodded to her sandals. "We've met," she replied quietly.

"I see."

Michelle looked up suddenly and blushed. "I'm sorry for…" she fell short and nodded towards his desk.

Jacob simply shook his head and sighed. "It does not matter."

They stood in silence for a long while, Michelle not daring to move at all.

She was startled by a gentle hand on her arm and shuddered affected. Jacob offered her a mint. Michelle blushed shyly and took one of the mints. "Thank you."

Jacob placed the jar back down on his desk with a tiny thud and turned back to the young woman. He smiled, absently watching her suck her mint.

Michelle caught his eye; her blush only deepened. She turned to the door. "I guess I'll be going then."

Jacob sighed. "Must you?"

Michelle felt herself shiver and paused.

Jacob shook his head, frowning to himself. "No. I suppose you are right." He strode over to the door and held it open.

"Could I?" Michelle asked shyly. Jacob blinked slowly. "Stay," the redhead elaborated. "Could I stay? Just for a little while?"

A small smile came onto Jacob's face. "Of course."

Michelle felt her blush creep down her back, smiling a little too much.

Jacob shut the door and pulled up a seat in front of his desk, before taking up behind his desk himself to read the reports he had just been given.

Michelle smiled and amused herself watching him as he flicked through the papers, occasionally making a note here or there along the margin and signing his initials and the date. When her mint was done, she reached across for another. Jacob simply smiled down at the report he was reading.

* * *

"Michelle?"

Michelle blinked slowly.

"Michelle?"

She sighed and her eyes flicked open. Her vision slowly cleared and she found Jacob knelt beside her, a hand on her arm, shaking her softly.

Michelle smiled weakly. "I'm sorry," she stumbled in a tired voice, "I must have fallen asleep." Her hot blush returned full force, as though she had stepped off a train and been hit by a bus. "I'm so sorry."

Jacob smiled, relieved.

"I'm really really sorry," Michelle continued mumbling miserably.

Jacob placed a finger on her lips to silence her, his smile widening at her childish hysterics.

Michelle froze, her eyes widening, caught in his gaze.

Jacob took his hand away from her mouth slowly and sighed, getting to his feet.

Michelle continued staring into thin air until she snapped to. She leapt out of her seat and straightened up, nearly smacking Jacob in the chin with her head.

When she looked up, sweeping the thick red hair off her face in frustration, Jacob was just standing there, smiling.

She wasn't sure how it quite happened. One moment she was standing there watching Jacob watching her; next, she had chucked herself at him and wrapped her legs about his waist, kissing him as though she intended to suck the life out of him.

Jacob stumbled back and came up against his desk.

It took some struggle, but he finally got a hold of Michelle's wrists, which distracted her enough so that she stopped kissing him for a moment. He took a grateful breath. "Michelle?"

Michelle's eyes began to grow wide in horror as she realised the full extent of her predicament.

She pelted to the door and wrenched it open.

Jacob stood in shock for a good ten seconds. "Michelle?!" He dashed out of the office after her, leaving the door wide open.

* * *

Michelle ran to the lab and slammed the door, kicking it loudly and swearing. Tears glistened on her cheeks and burnt like ice. Nothing, not even the pounding of her heart in her head could silence those tears. She stumbled across the room and switched the radio on, turning the music up full volume, so that it slammed in her ears and drowned out all thought.

* * *

Jacob slid down the wall beside Michelle and wrapped his arms about her shoulders, hugging her tight. Michelle sniffed loudly, tears streaming ceaselessly down her cheeks.

"No, no, no, don't cry. You didn't do anything wrong," Jacob cooed.

Michelle turned and buried her head in his shoulder, sobbing uselessly.

Jacob patted her hair patiently. "I'm very sorry, Michelle, if I misled you somehow. You must believe me when I say it isn't you. It's me."

Michelle gazed up into his face with eyes blurry from tears. "I can fix it," she murmured almost inaudibly.

Jacob smiled gently and leant down to kiss her. "Fix me."

Michelle smiled, and she really could fly.


End file.
